1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to cleaning devices. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to cleaning devices for dishes having movable brushes.
2. Background of Related Art
Dish brushes have configurations that typically include an elongate handle connected to a bristled brush. The handle is often capable of bending and the brush has one or more sets of bristles extending in three dimensions enabling a user to clean any portion of an interior of a bottle, for example.
In U.S. Pat. No. 882,021 to Schigelinsky, a bottle cleaner is described having an elongate handle section connected to a cleaning section. Schigelinsky teaches a mechanism actuated from the handle for moving a tip of the bottle cleaner from a position aligned with the handle to a second position at a right angle to the handle. This feature enables the cleaning strip to be used for cleaning or scraping the sides of the bottle. While Schigelinsky provides for cleaning at a right angle relative to the handle, the ability to apply a cleaning force is limited by the length of the lever arm and the right angle application of the cleaning section. In addition, Schigelinsky limits the bottle cleaning section to being aligned with the handle or being at a right angle to the handle and therefore lacks the ability to apply a cleaning section through a range of angles relative to the handle.
A bottle brush having a pivoted handle is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,584,503 to Schleenbaker and includes a body portion having a loose pivotal connection to a handle. The handle includes a bend in proximity to the body portion. The body portion has an elongate cylindrical tubular shape having a cut-out portion and includes two sets of bristles extending from U-shaped clips. A first set of bristles extend radially through an arc of approximately 270 degrees and the second set of bristles are generally aligned with the elongate tubular shape of the body portion and perpendicular to the first set of bristles.
In use, the body portion of Schleenbaker is pivoted to a first position wherein the bent portion of the handle is positioned partially within the cut away portion of the body and the elongate axis of the body assumes a substantially straight line with the handle. After positioning the body portion within the bottle, the body can be positioned using the movements of the handle to pivotally position the body between the First position and a second position wherein the body portion is generally perpendicular to the bent portion of the handle.
Schleenbaker, however, is limited by its force transfer configuration wherein, Schleenbaker relies on the transfer of force through a U-shaped clip functioning as an axle for the pivotal connection between the handle and the tubular body portion. Thus, the U-shaped clip, a point of rotation, is subject to both the frictional forces of rotation and a cleaning force from the handle. This configuration produces structural stresses such as shearing forces on the U-shaped clip by the tubular walls that are indicative of a cleaning device that is limited to applying light or superficial cleaning forces. Thus, the structural configuration Schleenbaker as shown is not suited for applying a broad range of cleaning force loads.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,317,779 to Hoagland, a utility kitchen brush is described having a gently curved handle fixedly connected to a substantially rectangular bristle block. An array of bristles extends downward from die bristle block. A first scraper and a second scraper are positioned on the bristle block and define a notch. Hoagland, however, lacks the flexibility required for many cleaning applications by having a fixed handle to bristle block connection that does not permit the bristle block to accommodate variations in the surface to be cleaned without compensating by also moving the handle. This limits the application of Hoagland in a dimensionally constraining environment such as interior bottle cleaning. Thus, the flexibility in which Hoagland can be employed in cleaning processes is limited by the fixed relationship between the cleaning surface of the brush and scraper to the handle.
A continuing need exists for a rotating dish brush having a structure suitable for receiving a range of cleaning forces and a cleaning bead that can be rotated relative to the handle for employment of the brushing surface through an advantageously controlled range of angles.
A rotating dish brush is described including a handle and a head. The handle has a distal end and a proximal end defining a longitudinal axis. The distal end of the handle defines a neck having a tip including a first planar surface connected with a second planar surface. The head has a generally spheroid shape with a first end opposing a second end. The second end is positioned on the neck and the first end has a single set of bristles. The bead is configured for rotation relative to the neck and defines a channel for receiving the neck aligned with the first longitudinal axis. The channel includes a channel planar surface configured for mating with the first planar surface and the second planar surface of the neck for the transfer of forces from the handle to the head.
The invention, together with attendant advantages, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of the invention when used in conjunction with the figures below.